CRESPI IN PAC-5 FINAL PREP FOOTBALL: WOODS' TD RUN WINS IT IN OVERTIME. CRESPI 13, SERVITE 10.

Byline: Gerry Gittelson

Staff Writer

CARSON -- Twenty-one years after winning the 1986 Southern Section Big Five football championship -- at the time the section's largest division -- Crespi High of Encino is on the brink of another historic season.

E.J. Woods scored on a 2-yard touchdown run in overtime Friday to lift the Celts to a rain-soaked 13-10 victory over Servite of Anaheim in the Pac-5 semifinals at Home Depot Center.

"We just dug down deep," Woods said.

Crespi (11-2) faces Long Beach Poly (12-1), which somehow defeated Orange Lutheran on a lone safety, 2-0 on Friday, in the championship next Saturday at 8:10 p.m. at Home Depot Center.

Woods followed blocks by Julian Fields and Jeremiah McKibbins to score the winning touchdown.

"This is great. We got the job done and played together as a family -- that's what we do," Fields said. "We never got away from our game plan, which was to run the ball, and that's what we did."

With the score tied 7-7, Servite (9-3) took first possession in overtime on the Crespi 25-yard line, settling for Nick Echeverry's 26-yard field goal for a 10-7 lead. Then it was Crespi's turn from the 25, and the Celts kept the ball on the ground for seven plays and converted two third downs, including Woods' winning touchdown.

"I felt good about playing overtime because I thought we could get the stop, and our guys were disciplined," Crespi coach Jeremiah Ross said. "Overtime was the funnest part of the game because that's when we were most confident."

Crespi has had its ups and downs through the years, winning 1 of 20 at one point, but has made quite a turnaround after finishing just 6-5 and losing in the first round of the Pac-5 last season -- the program's first year returning to the section's elite division.

The Celts won Div. X titles in 2004 and 2005, but a Pac-5 championship -- and a possible berth in the CIF State Div. II Bowl -- would be that much sweeter.

Crespi scored first on a 1-yard run by Austin Shanks, who finished with 27 carries for 106 yards. Servite didn't cross the 50 until the second half, scoring on D.J. Shoemate's 1-yard run late in the third quarter to tie the score 7-7.

It was an emotional loss for Servite coach Troy Thomas, who played cornerback for Crespi during the 1986 championship season, then coached the Celts for four seasons before taking the Servite job in 2005.

"This is what high school football is all about," Thomas said. "Both sides played with class. I'm obviously disappointed but proud of my team. And I'm happy for Crespi. They deserve it, and if I had to lose in overtime in the semifinals, that's the team I'd want to lose to."

Woods finished with 52 yards on 18 carries. Shoemate, who has committed to USC, was limited to 74 yards on 22 carries, as Crespi held Servite to 190 yards total offense, including one first down in the first half.

Crespi's Bryan Bennett completed 9 of 15 passes for 104 yards. Joseph Fauria had four receptions for 49 yards, and Mark Watley totaled nine tackles, eight unassisted.

The victory was Crespi's eighth in a row.

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2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Crespi's Joseph Fauria, left, goes head-to-head with a Servite defender Friday. The Celts made the Pac-5 final with their win.

(2) Crespi's Joseph Fauria makes a catch over the head of Servite's Austin Niklas during the Celts' win.

Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News